De I. VNER VEW D Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope

FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 65
Reported from San Jacinto Mountains. Limited area on Mount Shasta at 4,000 to 5,600
feet, between Panther and Mud creeks; eastward to Fall River. West slopes of northern
Sierras, at 1,500 to 3,000 feet-oceasionally to 4,000 feet, and southward to Yosemite
National Park (?). Forest Hill (between forks of American River), at 2,500 feet elevation;
aorth slope of Merced River (T. 3 S., R. 18-19 E.) in Sierra National Forest
(north) ; Lake Tahoe National Forest, only near Lynchburg, at 4,000 feet, and en ridge
above Horse Shoe Bar (T. 13 N., It. 12 E.)
OCCURRENCE.
Usually on dry, exposed, steep southeastern slopes, but often in deep gulches and protected
ravines. On poor, dry, rocky, or gravelly and sandy soils. Next to digger
pine it is the least fastidious of its kind regarding soil moisture. Frequently forms
extensive pure forests, especially in Oregon; in foothills, it grows mainly in groups
or singly, while in San Bernardino Mountains it is sparingly scattered in western
yellow pine forests, with bigeone spruce, sugar pine, white fir, incense cedar, Coulter
pine, and oaks.
CLIMATIC CONDITloNs.-Endures seasonal temperature of from about zero to 950 F.,
with occasional heavy snows and an annual rainfall up to 45 inches.
TOLERANcE.-Next to digger pine, the least tolerant of Pacific coast pines.
RsPRODUCTION.-Abundant annual seeder, bearing cones at very early age. Seed with
high rate of germination and with very persistent vitality in cones, no matter how old
the cones are. Old trees often bear over 3.5 pounds of seed. Few cones open except
by the aid of fire, which is nearly always followed by abundant reproduction. Seed germinates
in the most barren soils, and seedlings are hardy from the start.
Pricklecone Pine; Bishop's Pine.
Pinus muricata Don.
DISTINGUISHIING CHARACTERISTICS.
Pricklecone or bishop's pine is a little-known species which, on account of
Its endurance of conditions most unfavorable to the growth of other pines,
deserves the forester's careful attention. Ordinarily it is from 30 to 60 feet
high and from 12 to 20 inches in diameter; trees from 75 to 80 feet high
and from 24 to 36 inches thick occur rarely. Young trees in an open or scattered
stand have dense, pyramidal crowns and short, clear trunks. Older trees
under such conditions bear a dense crown rounded at the top, with stout
branches still extending low to the ground. In dense stands, in which it frequently
occurs, the crown is much the same, but shorter, and the trunk is
cleaner. The bark, early broken even on young trees, is deeply furrowed and
rough, with dull purple-brown scales. The deep yellow-green foliage is conspicuously
dense on the extremities of the numerous branches. The stiff leaves
(fig. 24), 2 in a bundle, are from 3j to 5J inches long; usually 3A or 4 inches.
Leaves of a season's growth fall from the branches during the second aind third
summers. The cones (fig. 25), specially characterized by their indefinite persistence,
are mature inAugust of the second season,when their prickly scales are
shiny and a rich russet-brown. Many of them open and shed their seed in September
and October, while some of them remain closed for a number of years.
A singular fact concerning the persistent cones is that they are rarely or never
embedded in the stems of the trees, as in the case of other pines with persistent
cones. The stems of the cones are broken and slowly drawn or forced from the
wood by each year's growth pushing against the base of the cone, which is
sometimes lightly held by the living bark. The seeds (fig. 25, a) are blackish
or very dark brown, with a roughish surface. Seed-leaves, usually 5, but often
4. Wood, light yellowish-brown, rather heavy and hard, moderately coarsegrained;
of o10 commercial use.
LoNGEvITY.-Little is known concerning the longevity of this pine, which
appears to grow rapidly in diameter for the first 40 or 50 years. Trees from